Modern marketing is, above all, the essence of the “customer front” principle. It is the consumer and his needs that are the most important and determine the paths of marketers’ activities. This approach translates into a change in the way of communicating with customers. This is what conversational marketing deals with. Find out more about it!
Conversational marketing, what is it?
First, let’s correct what is conversational marketing also known as conversational commerce (or conversational commerce). In short, these are all activities focused on establishing contact with the customer and building a relationship with him, which is the basis of a modern approach to sales. It is a method of transferring to the digital ground the habits known mainly from smaller traditional shops, where the seller knows his customers, often greets them by name or puts away favorite products for them, and at the same time willingly engages in friendly chats and can advise on purchases.
Conversational marketing, however, is much more than talking freely with customers. It is a tool that provides both consumers and brands with a lot of benefits! At the same time, it is a more complicated process. The need to communicate with many people at the same time means that various methods of conversation automation and other helpful tools are used.
Tools used in conversational marketing
In order to support conversational marketing techniques, chatboxes and
chatbots are primarily used, which allow you to automate many conversations and
speed up answering customer questions. In addition, it is used:
– live chat located on the company’s website,
– messengers: Messenger, WhatsApp and other
similar applications,
– e-mails,
– SMS,
– live broadcasts enabling dialogue with
participants,
– video calls.
These are systems that significantly facilitate two-way communication. Their availability from the levels of various platforms is important. Thanks to this, the client can always get an answer to the question that bothers him. However, the multitude of these tools may also present some difficulties. One of them is the continuity of the conversation. When using multiple channels, it is difficult to maintain. Meanwhile, customers expect to be able to resume the conversation at any time and using the most convenient method at the moment. This is especially important in today’s times where the possibilities for physical interaction are limited. Therefore, it is necessary to use systems that will help in the integration and synchronization of conversations conducted in various channels. As a result, communication is much more effective and satisfactory for the consumer. This solution also improves the work of the customer service department, contributing to its greater efficiency. It is also worth noting that the aforementioned limitation of the possibilities of communication “face to face” means that more and more people appreciate the advantages of online tools. This, in turn, determines that the role of conversational marketing will probably increase in the near future.
Conversational Marketing – How Does It Work?
How to use conversational marketing in practice? In order for it to be effective, it is not enough to launch the company’s Messenger and add live chat functions to the website. If communication with the company is not going to be a chore for the customer, the first thing to do is to have the right resources – both IT facilities and staff. What is worth paying attention to?
Automation
When investing in conversational marketing, you should ensure that your company’s customers can quickly get answers to their questions. This, in turn, often requires many conversations at the same time. Thanks to chatbots, you can limit the customer service department to just a few employees, which will significantly reduce the costs of its operation. The advantage of the vending machines is that they are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, which, according to research, is very important for consumers. Bots turn out to be extremely helpful also in periods of increased user activity, which are often difficult to predict.
It is true that chatbots will not solve all customer problems, but they significantly relieve the work of the department responsible for their service. They can be used primarily to answer frequently asked questions and direct users to consultants dealing with specific types of cases. Thanks to them, the client never waits long for a reply and knows that his problems are not ignored. In addition, chatbots can also be used for other purposes – for example, conducting consumer surveys (for example on the quality of customer service) or giving discounts or informing about promotions.
It is worth remembering, however, that consumers appreciate the naturalness of conversation. Therefore, the construction of the bot should be carefully thought out. Long and very vague responses can create frustration, so make sure that they are as personalized as possible.
CRM ensuring contextual conversations
As mentioned earlier, being able to continue the conversation without having to redraw your problem is very important from the customer’s point of view. It can be ensured by using an appropriate CRM system. Its task is to collect the most important information about the conversation in a way that allows consultants to quickly familiarize themselves with the matter. Such a solution significantly increases the quality of customer service and consumer satisfaction.
Analytics
It is also worth thinking about the analysis of data obtained through
conversations with customers. This can significantly improve the quality of
service and thus increase conversion. It often turns out that consumers ask
similar questions or encounter the same problem at a specific stage of the
purchasing process. Eliminating obstacles that generate doubts can improve UX,
and thus increase the number of orders.
Conversational marketing – it pays off
In line with contemporary marketing trends, customer satisfaction is a
brand’s success. Conversational marketing fits perfectly into this model,
improving the company’s image and allowing you to build relationships with
consumers at the personal level. The implementation of tools and techniques
related to conversational marketing brings numerous benefits. Primarily:
– higher quality of customer service,
– building lasting relationships with consumers,
– possibility of faster detection of technical
page errors and UX errors,
– valuable information about the needs and
expectations of customers,
– convenience of communication.
According to research, more and more people willingly use online tools to get answers to bothering questions. Chatbots themselves are also gaining popularity. More brands are using them, and at the same time, systems of this type are constantly being improved, creating wider possibilities of use and enabling more natural conversations. This contributes to customer satisfaction with this form of communication and encourages them to talk with a given brand or ask questions.
This is an extremely valuable source of important information. Properly used, they can help to refine the offer and adjust it to the expectations of consumers, and thus to increase conversion. That is why the aforementioned analyst is so important. Thanks to messages from customers, it is possible to recognize many frequently recurring problems and objections regarding products or services. Often times a small change can produce great results. That is why it is worth reading carefully the information provided during the conversation. They can also identify errors in the construction of the website itself or various technical problems. Research shows that users of certain websites are often frustrated because they cannot find the basic information about a company or functionality they need or answer simple questions. This way, you can lose a lot of customers and not even know it!
Consumers encouraged to communicate and having access to many of its channels will quickly inform you about any faults or obstacles preventing conversion. If you do not give them this opportunity, they will rather leave the non-functional side fully dissatisfied, and sometimes they will also decide to leave the company a negative opinion on the internet or tell their friends about the negative experience.
Relationship with the consumer as the basis of modern marketing
Conversational marketing is, above all, a great tool for building a relationship. This is what modern consumers expect from brands. They want to feel important, valued and treated individually. Thanks to a direct conversation with a company representative, they get exactly what they need. Thus, their liking and trust in the brand increases.
A positive relationship with customers is something that cannot be overestimated these days. It is the brands that know their identity perfectly and are able to build a community around it that are the most successful. Understanding the customer’s needs is easiest thanks to the direct interactions provided by conversational marketing techniques. They can be used not only to respond to problems, but also to actively strengthen ties with consumers and increase sales. Currently, it is the domain of the most innovative, modern companies. It is worth joining them as soon as possible to stay ahead of the competition and build a strong position on the market.
